Film structure puncture testing tool and method

ABSTRACT

A film structure puncture testing tool for testing the resistance to puncturing of a film structure for a product package and a method for analyzing film structures resistance to puncturing.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of and claims priority to U.S. application Ser. No. 17/003,126, filed Aug. 26, 2020, the entire contents of which is incorporated herein by reference.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

The present disclosure relates to a comparative and replicable testing method that provides for the puncture testing of film structures that are used to seal product packages.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Testing a film structure's resistance to puncturing has previously involved the use of a testing probe. Such probe testing systems are typically expensive to purchase and have maintenance fees attached to them.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In one construction, the disclosure provides a film puncture testing tool for testing resistance to puncturing of a film structure for a product package comprising a mold insertable into a product package and including a slot and an insert positioned in the slot in an orientation extending outwardly of the slot to simulate an object in the product package.

In another construction, the disclosure provides a film puncture testing tool for testing resistance to puncturing of a film structure for a product package comprising a mold insertable into a product package and an insert extending outwardly from the mold so that a film structure to be tested can be sealed to the product package over the mold and the insert.

In another construction, the disclosure provides a film puncture testing tool for testing resistance to puncturing of a film structure for a product package comprising a mold insertable into a product package, the mold having a plurality of slots, and a plurality of inserts, each positionable in a slot in an orientation extending outwardly of the mold.

In another construction, the disclosure provides a method for testing the resistance of a film structure on product package to puncturing including the steps of inserting a mold having a slot into a product package, inserting an insert into the slot, the insert extending outwardly from the mold and covering the mold and the insert with a film structure to be tested.

In another construction, the disclosure provides a method for testing the resistance of a film structure on product package to puncturing including the steps of inserting a mold into a product package, the mold having a portion adapted to simulate an object in the product package and covering the mold and the insert with a film structure to be tested.

Other aspects of the disclosure will become apparent by consideration of the detailed description and accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a tray mold;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a 1 mm insert;

FIG. 3 is a perspective view of a 3 mm insert;

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of a 5 mm insert;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of the tray mold with inserts inserted therein;

FIG. 6 is a perspective view of the tray mold positioned in a product tray with inserts inserted in the tray mold and a film structure sealed to the product tray; and

FIG. 7 is a flowchart of a method of the present invention.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

Before any constructions of the disclosure are explained in detail, it is to be understood that the disclosure is not limited in its application to the details of construction and the arrangement of components set forth in the following description or illustrated in the following drawings. The disclosure is capable of other constructions and of being practiced or of being carried out in various ways.

With reference to FIGS. 1-6 , there is shown a tray mold 10 shaped to fit into a product package 12. The figures illustrate two tray molds in one product package 12, however, one tray mold can also be utilized. The tray mold 10 is preferably manufactured from plastics (including, but not limited to, PLA, Poly Carbonate, ABS, PETG, Nylon, ULTEM) using a 3d printing process, however, other materials and processes such as metals (including, but not limited to, aluminum, stainless steel and titanium) can also be utilized. The tray mold 10 can fill the entire product package 12 as shown, however, it can also be designed to fill only a portion of the product package 12.

The tray mold 10 includes at least one and preferably a plurality of slots 14. The slots 14 as shown are rectangular, however, other shapes can also be utilized such as including, but not limited to round, square, oval, hexagonal, octagonal.

FIGS. 2-4 specifically illustrate three examples of the inserts 16. The inserts 16 preferably include a pointed end 18 and are preferably shaped as an irregularly shaped pentagon, however, other shapes and other ends can also be utilized with the present invention. The inserts 16 have a height and preferably have different heights such as the illustrated 1 mm, 3 mm and 5 mm, in which the stated measurements extend above the plane of the sealed surface. However, it should be noted that different heights can also be utilized. The inserts 16 are designed to be inserted into the slots 14 of the tray mold 10 with the pointed end 18 extending outwardly from the slot 14.

As shown in FIG. 6 , a film structure 20 to be tested can be of varying types of films used in product packaging such as bases structures of PET, Nylon, PP, each of which can exhibit a coextrusion or laminate of sealant and/or combination of other structures or materials to aide in overall performance of the final material. The film structure 20 is secured to the tray 10 or product package 12 by sealing.

The film testing tool 22 includes the tray mold 10 and at least one insert 16. The testing tool 22 is utilized to test a film structure's resistance to puncturing. Specifically, the pointed end 18 of the insert 16 is used to test the film structure's ability to resist being punctured thus causing a leak in the product package 12. Preferably, the inserts 16 are inserted into the tray mold slots 14 with the pointed end 18 upward to simulate a solid item in the product package 12 such as a cracker. The film testing tool 22 allows for consistency in puncture testing across different film structures 20.

In operation and in reference to FIG. 7 , the tray mold 10 with one or more inserts 16 therein is placed into the product package 12. One film structure 20 is sealed to the product package 12 to observe the film structure's ability to resist puncturing. For example, in-line sealing equipment that a manufacturer already has in its facility, such as the Mini Mondini available from G. Mondini of Cologne Italy, can be used on a manufacturing line to seal the various film structures 20 to packages 12. However, other off-line or in-line methods can also be used to secure the film structure 20 to the product package 12.

After the film structure is sealed to the product package 12, the film structure can be visually analyzed to determine if the film structure 20 has been punctured and, if so, the puncture severity. The film structure 20 can also be sent to a lab for analysis under a microscope to observe how deep/severe the punctures are.

The puncture testing tool 22 allows for the puncture testing of a variety of film structures 20 in a consistent, comparative, replicable and cost-effective way using sealing equipment that the product package manufacturer already has in its facility.

Since the location of the solid items within the product package 12 can vary, providing multiple slots 14 in the tray mold 10 can provide an opportunity to evaluate potential punctures based on location. For example, the film structure 20 may be less taut in one location as compared to another. Since there may be more than one solid item in the product package 12, providing multiple inserts 16 can provide an opportunity to evaluate greater than one solid item puncturing through the film structure 20.

Various features and advantages of the invention are set forth in the following claims. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A film puncture testing tool for testing resistance to puncturing of a film structure for a product package, said film puncture testing tool comprising: a mold insertable into a product package and including a slot; and an insert positioned in the slot in an orientation extending outwardly of the slot to simulate an object in the product package.
 2. The film puncture testing tool of claim 1 wherein the mold fills the product package.
 3. The film puncture testing tool of claim 1 wherein the insert has a pointed end.
 4. The film puncture testing tool of claim 1 and further including a plurality of slots.
 5. The film puncture testing tool of claim 4 wherein the plurality of slots have varying depths.
 6. The film puncture testing tool of claim 4 wherein the plurality of slots have the same depth.
 7. The film puncture testing tool of claim 1 and including a plurality of inserts.
 8. The film puncture testing tool of claim 7 wherein the plurality of inserts are of differing dimensions.
 9. A film puncture testing tool for testing resistance to puncturing of a film structure for a product package, said film puncture testing tool comprising: a mold insertable into a product package; and an insert extending outwardly from the mold so that a film structure to be tested can be sealed to the product package over the mold and the insert.
 10. The film puncture testing tool of claim 9 and further including a plurality of inserts.
 11. A film puncture testing tool for testing resistance to puncturing of a film structure for a product package, said film puncture testing tool comprising: a mold insertable into a product package, the mold having a plurality of slots; and a plurality of inserts, each positionable in a slot in an orientation extending outwardly of the mold.
 12. The film puncture testing tool of claim 11 wherein the plurality of inserts are the same size.
 13. The film puncture testing tool of claim 11 wherein the plurality of inserts are of differing sizes.
 14. A method for testing the resistance of a film structure on product package to puncturing, said method including the steps: inserting a mold having a slot into a product package; inserting an insert into the slot, the insert extending outwardly from the mold; and covering the mold and the insert with a film structure to be tested.
 15. The method of claim 14 wherein the mold includes a plurality of slots.
 16. The method of claim 15 wherein in the inserting step, a plurality of inserts are inserted into the plurality of slots.
 17. The method of claim 14 wherein in the covering step, the film structure is sealed to the product package.
 18. A method for testing the resistance of a film structure on product package to puncturing, said method including the steps: inserting a mold into a product package, the mold having a portion adapted to simulate an object in the product package; and covering the mold and the insert with a film structure to be tested. 